Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Sweet Misery

Chapter 6

Ino waved her hand above the crowd to catch Temari's attention. The older blonde waved back and started to head her way.

It was eleven in the morning and people were out and about before it became one in the afternoon when the sun is highest in the sky and being outside becomes almost unbearable. There was a nice cool breeze blowing through though and Ino sighed in relief. Today Temari promised to take her to get some specialized clothes to better regulate her body temperature along with the temp from outside.

For the past week things had been rather hectic for the sand siblings. Kankuro was away on a two week mission, Temari was handling the border control schedules and such, and finally Gaara was busy with the new preparations for the hospital and budgeting for it along with whatever issues he had to deal with. Ino had helped as much as she could but some of the elders didn't want her too involved in their village's politics and financial issues. She didn't care much but it bugged her how untrustful most of them were of her. Hayase told her not to take it personal; they didn't trust Konoha all that much anyway. Of course there were a few like Lady Fusa for one who is on Gaara's side and helping them with her influence. Ino rather liked the older lady; she had spunk that's for sure.

Everything though boiled down to the people of Suna. It was all really political and based on the fact that many residents of Suna felt they depended way too much on Konoha as it is. Ino could understand the reasoning behind it, but it wasn't like Suna wasn't helping her village either. It made her wonder if anyone back home felt the village depended too much on Suna as well. They were very close villages which was kind of abnormal. Sure all the great villages were on friendly terms and after the war started to meet once a year to discuss politics among other things, but none of the other three villages (Rock, Cloud, and Mist) were as close as Konoha is with Suna. Ino thought that was a great thing, but apparently not everyone felt the same. The thought of Konoha brought up Kakashi and Okei.

They both left two days ago and it sadden Ino greatly to see both go (mostly the latter). She knew she could do her job here without Kakashi there but that didn't change the fact that it made her nervous to be alone here all the same. Sure Hayase was still here for another month but he was only so helpful compared to Okei. Then there were the thoughts about her father's killer and the clue they came upon. This also bugged her; she couldn't be out there searching for more clues. Ino was very much a 'do it your self-er'. If something needed to be done she rather do it herself than delegate the job to someone else.

If you want something done right the first time then you do it yourself. That's how she saw it, so leaving Kakashi and Shikaku to find more clues and figure things out was killing her on the inside. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, out of anyone in the world she was more than happy that they were on her side and helping her out but…Ino guessed it was because it was her father who died, so it was more her responsibility to do the hard work and answer the hard questions. As selfish as it was she wanted the satisfaction of capturing her father's killer and putting that miserable soul in its place.

Ino smiled brightly as she moved through the crowd to meet Temari halfway. Needless to say it was a busy week for all.

"Hey Ino!" Temari called out as she flung some sand off her face.

"Wow is the wind that bad out there?" Ino asked reaching over to brush off more sand from her shoulders. Temari sighed in annoyance as she nodded.

"Yeah, a sandstorm is going by further in the west. We're just getting the tail end of it." Ino figured that was a good thing. It also made her wonder though what it was like to be in a sandstorm…well of course inside during it.

"What's it like being in a sandstorm?" Ino followed Temari down a corner street as they cut over to another main street. It was just as crowded if not more so here than the last street.

"Loud." Temari stated. "The wind is extremely loud, it rattles the windows and the sand burns when your outside. It's like a rug burn but far worse. My first 2nd degree burn came from being outside when a sandstorm was coming." Temari leaned against a booth and started to lift her skirt up. Ino eyed her over before looking to see if anyone was watching them. "See." Temari commented.

Ino turned back to her to see a wrinkled, dry patch right in the middle of her thigh. It was slightly lighter than her tan skin and looked to be old. "When did that happen?" Ino asked she looked it over for a second before Temari let her skirt down. She looked up to the clear, cloudless sky in thought.

"I was about ten when it happened, I had been training when the sky grew dark and I heard the wind get louder. I decided to stay put and keep training, I thought I was such a badass in doing so. But then I got hit in the thigh by a wad of sand and high tailed it in the house." Ino laughed along with her.

"Did you ever get it checked out?" Temari shook her head with a shrug.

"No, at the time I thought of it as a battle scar. Now though…not so much. I've tried everything to get rid of it but nothing works." Temari said dejectedly. Ino frowned. There really wasn't much that could be done for a ten year old burn.

"Maybe I can look it over later today? I might have something that can help, I brought a few lotions and salves just in case since I'm so fair skinned." The older blonde nodded in agreement.

"Yeah sounds like a plan. So how about-." Temari stopped just as a man collapsed in front of them. He wheezed desperately, curling up into a ball and clutching at his throat. Ino gasped before dropping to her knees at his side forcing him on his back. "Ino!"

"He's extremely dehydrated!" Ino called out concentrating her chakra as her hand started to glow a light blue. Her hand slowly went over his throat finding it closing in on itself from lack of moisture. Though there was a breeze the air was very humid and dry. "Someone get me some water, something!" Ino turned over her shoulder just as Temari reached over a booth snatching a bottle of water from the owner.

Ino quickly took hold of the water bottle unscrewing the top and flinging that over her shoulder before forcing the older gentleman in front of her to pucker his lips and allow the water to enter his mouth. Slowly he drank and soon enough the water was all gone. He coughed roughly a few times, trying to clear his throat just as two med-nins of Suna appeared in the crowd around them. A male ninja about her age dropped down next to her with a slightly smile.

"How is he doing?" He asked as the other male med-nin got down to his knees with a portable gurney. Quickly with Ino's help they got it underneath the man as she answered, "He's extremely dehydrated, but I was able to get a bottle of water down his throat." Both ninjas nodded their understanding. They were then up and going, leaving the area and heading to the hospital not far from them.

"Wow that was something huh Ino." Temari said placing a hand on the younger blonde's shoulder. Ino watched as the man and med-nins left, she turned then to follow them as well. Temari blinked rapidly before following her friend. "Hey where are you going?"

"I want to make sure he's okay, plus I have yet to see the hospital." Ino replied over her shoulder as Temari walked faster to catch up with her.

The hospital was pretty big, nothing compared to Konoha's hospital, but decent size for the village Ino supposed. It could be bigger. Upon entering though she was assaulted with complete chaos. Nurses, doctors, and medical ninja's were running around with absolutely no organization whatsoever. The head desk was swamped with folders, papers, and about five women trying to make sense of it all. Ino glanced at Temari briefly to see she didn't seem to see anything wrong. This was normal? Ino frowned deeply as she followed the men through two double swinging doors. The further she walked through the hospital the worse it got.

People were getting helped, and sent on their way but at a very slow pace. Ino was fearful of what she would see on the other levels of the hospital. What would it be like on the surgery floor? At one point she had asked a few patients how long they have been waiting to be seen. The times were outrageous. One woman waited almost two hours just to get her wrist looked over for a simple sprain. Another woman had been waiting an hour for her son to get his leg checked out. Though they were simple, the waiting times didn't make sense. Ino and Temari stopped at the door of the dehydrated man who was getting checked out as they looked on.

"Is it normal to be this chaotic?" Temari shrugged her shoulders.

"Generally yes, but I don't have to wait so long. Then again I am the Kazekage's sister…" Ino nodded as she frowned at her surroundings. There seemed to be little doctors or nurses around and that bothered her greatly. For the size of the hospital there should be tons of medical staff running around this place keeping it in order, but from the looks of it they barely had enough people covering everything.

"Hey let me know how he's doing okay? I wanna check something out." Temari rolled her eyes but nodded. Ino stuck her tongue out at her then left back the way they came. She dodged some people walking fast through the hall and narrowly avoided losing her nose at the swinging doors. She stopped at the front desk waiting for one of the ladies to notice her.

"Um excuse me?" Ino tried after five minutes of just standing there waiting. One woman with dark hair and dark eyes looked up from what she was doing and had the gale to frown at her. 'Well excuse me for wanting some damn attention.' Ino thought in mild annoyance.

"Yes, miss is there anything I can do for you?" She said in a very bothered and annoyed tone. Ino brought in her anger trying to not unleash it upon her poor misguided soul.

"Yes, you can." Ino started out getting a look from the older woman. "How many doctors are here today?" The woman scoffed at her and sighed deeply. She slowly as though hoping that if she took her sweet time Ino would just give up then and there. After a moment she replied back, "Today there are about twenty-five to thirty doctors working at the moment."

Ino frowned, for how big the hospital was there should be far more doctors running around than that much. "How about nurses?" The woman scoffed again, clicking her tongue in annoyance as she fished around for another folder, before long she seemed to give up herself. She threw her hands in the air openly glaring at her. "I don't honestly know about the same, what does it matter?"

"Well there's quite a few people waiting for hours on end to be looked at, I thought you all should know that." Ino commented heatedly giving her a good glare of her own. The woman didn't even bat an eye before shrugging her shoulders.

"That's the norm honey, take a number and go away." 'Damn, such hospitality.' Ino stepped back from the desk in case the woman decided to jump over the counter at her. Turning away she thought to herself while walking back to Temari.

'There should be up to fifty or so doctors running around not twenty-five. Not only that but there should also be more nurses than doctors running around too. This place is complete and total chaos, there's no organization from the front desk to the doctors running the hospital. What the hell is the hospital director doing?' Ino came to a stop by Temari's side.

"Did you know there are only about thirty doctors here? Or that there's barely any nurses too? Ugh don't get me started on the organization of this place or how old some of the equipment is. They still use an old filing cabinet for patient folders rather than having a computer." Temari tried not to laugh and snicker as Ino went on and on about the hospital.

"Well he's doing fine if you wanted to know." She managed to get in as the other blonde slowed down her ranting. Sighing deeply Ino threw her hands into the air.

"I knew it wouldn't be pretty seeing this place, but I am in total shock over it! I can only imagine what the other floors look like." Ino stopped for a second as a thought came to her mind. Did Gaara know about his? Of course he should being the Kazekage of the village and all, but did he truly know the whole extent of the issues this hospital had? Once more Ino turned around ready to race off as Temari called after her, "Hey! Where the hell are you going now!?"

"I need to talk with Gaara!" Ino yelled back as she pushed pass the double doors almost taking out someone else this time. She quickly apologized and then was off again heading back to the Kazekage tower.

Ino could feel the sweat dripping off of her from the heat baking down on her as she ran out of the hospital. It was almost instant and that bugged the crap out of her. Though it was important what she wanted to tell Gaara on the inside she was crying at her chance to get some nice clothes today. Sure she could get them tomorrow or the next day, but she really wanted them today. The blonde took an alley way between two big buildings and came out closer to the tower than she had been before. More sweat came down from her hairline and further down her face. The blast of cool air as she came into the building gave her much relief.

The receptionist looked up slowly only to see it was her before looking back down at some book or magazine that she was reading. Ino didn't mind, she had more important things to do. Walking pass her but this time taking a left than a right she took a set of stairs up to the second floor passing a few people as she went. They watched her go by with curiosity in their eyes. This was the first time she had ever gone up there alone, she only seen Gaara's office once a few days ago. She remembered him telling her that if she was having any issues or needed something to come right to him so here she was. His door was far different from Tsunade's door, for one her's were double doors while Gaara's is just a single door. Another difference being that Gaara's door was rather plain, no designs on it representing the village or even the Kage within.

If Ino hadn't been brought there before she wouldn't have known where his office was.

Breathing out softly she brought her hand up and knocked on the door. Listening carefully a mumbled 'come in' was heard through the door. Ino smiled lightly and opened the door allowing her entry. Gaara was currently hunched over his desk working on loads of paper work and didn't bother to look up from his writing. She closed the door quickly and walked mid way up to his desk waiting for him to acknowledge her. After a moment of silence he looked up.

"Ino…" He mumbled her name softly sending a chill down her spine. Ino wondered where that feeling came from and why he was the one to cause it as Gaara moved to sit straight at his desk. "Please have a seat." He said more clearly waving a hand out to one of two chairs in front of his desk. Ino smiled brightly, she placed herself down looking up to catch his eyes with hers. "Is there something you needed?" He then asked giving her his full attention.

"Actually yes, I need your ear for a moment." Blinking with confusion at her rather curious statement Ino went on, "I need you to hear me out. I went to the hospital today after an old man fell down in front of Temari and me. I wanted to be sure he was alright and followed to the hospital and what I found…" Ino shook her head sighing as she remembered the sight. "It was horrible! I can't even begin to tell you all the things wrong with that hospital if it can even be called that!" Ino tried to keep herself from jumping to her feet. Gaara looked to be unfazed by her outrage he only stared at her with a calculating look.

"Why don't you tell me your thoughts anyway?" He closed up some folders and scrolls setting them aside before leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. Ino felt a sort of flutter in her gut at having his full attention. She ignored the feeling as she started putting her thoughts together on the subject.

"Well for starters there's absolutely no organization whatsoever. The nurse's station looks like a hurricane hit it and I can tell none of the nurses can get anything done like that. There are people waiting hours upon hours to get looked at regardless of the severity of their injuries or sickness. Not to mention the machines you have are so out-dated that I can't wrap my mind around it. The system this hospital runs on is so flawed and it's like no one cares…" Ino sighed bringing a hand to run through her long bangs. Gaara watched the movement absorbing what she told him. "I thought simply adding more funding for the hospital would help it out more, but from the looks of it you seriously need a professional running that place and whoever is in charge now needs to get fired!"

"You're hired." Ino whipped her head up from looking at the ground so quick she felt a pop go off in her neck. She stared at the Kazekage like he had seriously gone insane.

"Wait…what?" Gaara merely shrugged his shoulders meeting her gaze head on.

"You're hired; you said my hospital needs a professional running the place. After the last meeting I trust your judgment and knowledge in the medical field." He then turned his gaze over to the right where Ino followed. There on the wall by two giant shelves full of books and scrolls were a couple of framed photos hanging on the wall. Ino noticed one with Gaara and his siblings and another with him and Naruto. She then located a picture of an older woman well in her seventies with wrinkles framing her mouth and eyes. "Chiyo use to be my advisor for the hospital, she helped the current hospital director maintain everything, but since she passed on…"

"Okay, so this hospital director needs direction? Seems a bit like a paradox if you ask me." Gaara gave her a half lifted smile at her joke and nodded.

"He is very…old school and out-dated. Chiyo was essentially the hospital director without holding the title. She didn't want all the responsibility but she also didn't want to see anything bad happen with the hospital. I've just been so busy with other things of importance…" Ino nodded crossing her left leg over her right tapping a finger gently against her kneecap.

"I understand and I would love to help but I don't think your elders would especially like it. Not only that," The blonde lifted a finger to her chin in thought, "you would have to get an approval from Lady Tsunade considering I'm just a liaison and this is not a part of my job subscription." Gaara shrugged his shoulders again.

"I can get all of this arranged in maybe a week or two. This would really help the village out and myself, I appreciate your help." Ino laughed lightly trying to will herself to not blush cherry red. The fluttery feeling came back so Ino hide her right hand out of his sight as she clinched it tightly.

"Who said I agreed to this?" She questioned jokingly smiling brightly to him in case he didn't catch the joke. Gaara raised an eyebrow in answer before his eyes moved up to the left towards a clock on the wall.

"It's twelve-thirty right now, why don't I treat you to lunch as a 'thank you'." Ino blinked rapidly.

"You want to treat me?" Gaara nodded pushing his chair back to stand walking around his desk and heading for the door.

Ino reminded seated for a moment in deep thought. It wasn't the fact that he wanted to treat her to lunch that perplexed her, it was the fact that somehow her little vacation was turning out to be nothing but work. She thought the worst she would have to deal with is a few meetings and the hot sun, now she also had to help a hospital director who seems to have no idea what he's doing and help shape up a really out of shape hospital. Ino felt her mind spin a little at the thought. She knew she could do it; it would just be a lot of hard work.

"Ino?" Blinking again she jumped out of her seat turning to see Gaara holding the door open and looking at her expectedly. Smiling softly at him she started to walk towards him thinking if it helped him then maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all…

I know I left you guys hanging and with such a small chapter at that! Sorry about that but there will be more in the next chapter including the lunch Gaara will treat to Ino. A little one on one interaction between those two is needed. I just wanted to jump start the interest Ino will have in him including getting her more immersed in Gaara's life. I feel a little bad about Temari though…Ino sort of ditched her didn't she? Lol! I'll make it up to her later I promise. I'm out…

ALCzysz17